BLOG CATEGORIES

#bimmer

  1. Ultimate Cooling - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 4 - Testing Results

    Ultimate Cooling - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 4 - Testing Results

    Everyone loves a dynamic character. Think about it. When have you ever read a book or watched a movie and said to yourself, "Wow, I'm really glad that the main character didn't develop throughout the story"? We long for that feel-good moment when the protagonist reaches a turning point and changes. The development for our F20/F30 intercooler has a relatable plot line.

    022018_NLT_F30_INT_WEB_8

    R&D is a process with its own ups and downs. That's what makes it a challenge, and thus fun for us problem solvers. Even with a lot of research and simulations, some things lead to unexpected outcomes. If you look back through the beginning stages of our development, it's clear that we're taking a unique approach when it comes

    Continue Reading »
  2. Ultimate Cooling - 2012-2016 BMW F2X/F3X Intercooler R&D Part 3 - Production Sample

    Ultimate Cooling - 2012-2016 BMW F2X/F3X Intercooler R&D Part 3 - Production Sample

    It's been a long time coming since we last left off with the development of this intercooler. While it might have been trying on your patience, and a little on ours, it's not necessarily a bad thing that it took some time. Simply put, how are we going to make sure that what ends up at your door step is perfect if the first doesn't possess the same qualities? And sometimes doing things a little differently takes some time.

    021418_NLT_F30_INT_WEB_3

    If you look back to our last post outlining the design plans, you'll see exactly what I'm on about when it comes to doing things differently. We did end up giving a good amount away then, but since it's been a while, I'll refresh your memory.

    Continue Reading »
  3. Ultimate Cooling - 2012-2016 BMW F2X/F3X Intercooler R&D Part 2 - Design Plans

    Ultimate Cooling - 2012-2016 BMW F2X/F3X Intercooler R&D Part 2 - Design Plans

    When I last left off our engineer, Steve, was busy scanning and creating a 3D model of the F30 stock unit as a reference for our new design. There is an impressive amount of engineering that has gone into this intercooler project already, with more to come. One of the reasons for this attention to detail is because of the wide range of models that this new cooler is going to fit, as seen by our photo gallery. Another reason is because BMW has a pesky habit of living up to their moniker, "The Ultimate Driving Machine," they leave little room for error.

    Steve working the Faro Design ScanArm to create a 3D model of the stock intercooler unit.
    Steve working the Faro Design ScanArm to create a 3D model of the stock intercooler unit.
    Continue Reading »
  4. Ultimate Cooling - 2012-2016 BMW F2X/F3X Intercooler R&D Part 1 - Stock Review

    Ultimate Cooling - 2012-2016 BMW F2X/F3X Intercooler R&D Part 1 - Stock Review

    Mishimoto prides itself on the ability to improve the cooling systems on just about any vehicle that rolls through the garage door. Intercoolers have become our bread and butter at this point. That being said, BMW's are notoriously over-engineered, so improving on the meticulous German design isn't going to be an easy task.

    It seems that the engineers at BMW wanted to make sure they provided the best equipment on their "Ultimate Driving Machine," which means tight spacing. Peeling the front bumper cover from our loaner 2014 335i M Sport reveals a space no bigger than a toaster oven. A tricky intercooler project lies ahead, but that's OK, because we're up to the challenge.

    The front fascia is secured on tight, but our engineer Steve, left, and project manager, Rob, make</body> " width="600" height="459">
    Continue Reading »
  5. Final Product Design - E46 Intake Development, Part 3

    Final Product Design - E46 Intake Development, Part 3

    In our last update, we left you with some dyno results showing the potential this kit has for increased performance. Now that the development process is nearing completion, we have a finished and fully functional prototype to test fit onto a BMW 330i. This kit is a direct fit for the E46 330i and it includes a very straightforward component list and simple installation instructions. Let's jump into what our final kit looks like.

    Final E46 intake prototype
    Final E46 intake prototype

    As seen above, the multi-ply silicone intake hose features a CNC-machined connector for exact fitment onto our filter. The heat shield is made of black powder-coated steel to help keep the filter shielded from the engine bay heat. The weather stripping along the

    Continue Reading »
  6. Dyno Results - E46 Intake Development, Part 2

    Dyno Results - E46 Intake Development, Part 2

    We've made some progress with testing our E46 intake and the dyno results are finally in! This intake was put through some extensive testing and it held up to the abuse with consistent and repeatable output numbers. Let's see how our finalized prototype fits on the car!

    Fitment

    IMG_9995r Prototype E46 intake ready for the dyno

    IMG_9999r E46 parts fitment

    Continue Reading »
  7. Stock Review + Initial Design - E46 Intake, Part 1

    Stock Review + Initial Design - E46 Intake, Part 1

    Our garage has been graced with the presence of a clean 2001 E46 330i, so we can now begin development on this E46 intake. Let's dive right in!

    Stock System

    The 330i stock intake system is similar to the 32X, the big difference being the size of the MAF housing. On the higher-output 330i models, this housing is larger so it can accept greater airflow needed by the more powerful, higher-displacement engine. To accommodate that larger diameter, our design will have a slightly enlarged opening on the heat shield. Everything else should fit right into place! Here are a few shots of the stock system we are working on.

    IMG_9765r
    Aerial shot of the 330i engine bay

    Continue Reading »
  8. A New BMW F30 Performance Intake, Part 4: Final Install

    A New BMW F30 Performance Intake, Part 4: Final Install

    Interested in purchasing our F30 intake system? Check out our product page for more information!

    Mishimoto BMW F30 Performance Intake!

    With testing and data collection complete, we assembled our final prototype BMW F30 air intake to confirm that the full kit fits flawlessly prior to starting production. We have been pretty excited to see this unique kit come together. Check it out in its final form!

    Final Intake Images

    Our final prototype BMW F30 intake was cut from a sheet of metal using a waterjet. Once we had the template cut to our drawing and model specs, we bent each piece appropriately.

    First, the base of our airbox.

    Final prototype BMW F30 intake airbox base
    Continue Reading »
  9. A New BMW F30 Performance Intake, Part 3: Testing and Data Collection

    A New BMW F30 Performance Intake, Part 3: Testing and Data Collection

    Interested in purchasing our F30 intake system? Check out our product page for more information!

    Mishimoto BMW F30 Performance Intake!

    We already knew our BMW F30 intake system looked fantastic within the engine bay of the F30. With our final prototype design fully complete, it was time to see if our intake system would produce any improvements in both intake sound and power output.

    Dyno Runs

    We strapped our test vehicle to the Dynojet and began making pulls. This particular vehicle was equipped with a aftermarket tuning device, and we would be checking data both with and without this software as a means to compare the stock intake system to our prototype design.

    Test vehicle on dyno
    Continue Reading »
  10. A New BMW F30 Performance Intake, Part 2: Airbox Fabrication

    A New BMW F30 Performance Intake, Part 2: Airbox Fabrication

    Interested in purchasing our F30 intake system? Check out our product page for more information!

    Mishimoto BMW F30 Performance Intake!

    Time for an update on our F30 intake project! Check out the continued progression of our development below!

    Airbox Base Fabrication

    We left off last time with the completion of our intake pipe fabrication that leads to the airbox. Next on the list: assembling our airbox and refining the design to the appropriate shape we wanted to achieve.

    We started with the base of the box, which will be utilizing the factory air duct to acquire a cool stream of airflow.

    Airbox base cardboard template
    Airbox base cardboard template
    Continue Reading »
Page